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Well well well

I kinda cheated with my last entry. I really didn't use it for its purpose (log). Let's play ketchup (that's "catch up" for those who do not get it). September 9 was the fist worship service of Narrow Road Church. We were working non-stop to have everything ready. It was a lot of work, but by the time the doors were open at 6:00 PM (services at 6:45), We were locked, stocked and ready to hit the on button, knowing that only God could shut it off. Otherwise its a working mechanism under God and He has been showing up, impacting the lives of those who come every week. Its amazing and a wonderful opportunity to be a part of something that is sooo much bigger than the realms of your control, and I couldn't feel more privileged.

We are now in week 6, Brad is working diligently on the continued study through Colossians, and I prepare each week the songs of praise as we gather as brothers and sisters in Christ, to fully ascribing worth to God as He is holy. Its a challenge every single week. If we do not desire for God to show up and do wonderful things, we will fail. Every single week, IMPACT, IMPACT, IMPACT. Nothing we do but God. We're just the tools for his handy work. I pray that I do nothing that disables Him to do far more exceedingly, and abundantly than I could ever do on my own. Whatever I can do to get out of His way, or to flow in his same direction.

We are now considering moving the Sat night services to Sun morn. This will allow most who attend to come regularly instead of every other week, due to work or other things. This will also allow us to , when we need to , build a strong group of disciples, until we have to move to Saturday night services again because of the lack of room capacity.

ummmmmm... still working at the OG, cut back on some hours to dedicate more time for the church. I'm going to the dentist like once a week (potential root canal). I'm being serious with this: please pray that when I go back in on Monday, that when they clean out my bad tooth, they realize they won't have to do a root canal... very expensive, and I can't afford it.

Aimee has been coming down every weekend. That really warms my heart, and I cherish every moment I get to spend with her. I love hanging out with her family at least once a month too! They're all a bundle of joy and pain at the same time, and I think only they could possibly know what I talking about. At least I hope... no bad intentions.

My bro Pete, and his wife Dani are coming this weekend to look for houses around the area. Boy oh boy, when they get here, it will be a blast. I definitely look forward to that.

Let me know If I left anything out. Thanks for readin. and commenting. if you do... do it. DO IT! or else Aimee's cat dies. I'll kill it. Okay, that's enough.

As you might have noticed, I did not post on the 11th.  Since September of 2005, I was very diligent in a new web log post on my xanga each month on the 11th, and now this post is on the 12th.   My reasoning and purpose for this is very simple; allow me to explain.  In keeping with the whole "eleven" theme, I thought that I would only use eleven out of the 12 months of the year to post on the 11th.  So I will begin from now on posting on the 12th, because there are 12 months in a year, and that only makes the most logical and perfect sense.  Very smart, I know.  Thank You.  *smiles and bows*

I am enjoying life at the moment. It seems as if God is providing for me in amazing ways. I really enjoy my days when I do make Him first place.

Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love and I will rejoice and be glad all of my days.

To not deliberatly meet with God on a daily basis is flat out wrong. In fact, and hard to say due to my failures, it IS a sin. What's more satisfying than God? What is everyone in this world looking for? Happiness. Everything else that we try to fill that void of happiness with will NEVER last. God is most satisfying. I am so filled with joy and happiness when I am emmersed in His word in my day. When I seek to be holy like He is, He powerfully makes it possible for me. Amazing.

I LOVE YOU, AIMEE AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!

I am still working at the Olive Garden, and that just seems very ideal for what a typical week looks like for me. I usually work the lunch shift during the week, a couple of nights, and a full lunch/afternoon shift on Saturdays. I fill the rest of my time up with responsibilities that I have been given for the church... like picking up patch cords and mic stands for the sound equipment, running to Columbus to pick up some books, hanging up flyers around the community, and preparing a song for Saturday nights (which is actually work).

Just recently, I got a call from a guy(close to my age) I met at the Bible study named Shawn. He invited me to go with him to the Hartford Fair (one of [if not] the largest private fairs in the U.S.). It was the first time since the Campus Crusade meetings at Denison College that I went out with anyone my age since I've lived here. I had fun despite certain drama that occurred during the evening, but I won't go into that. It's crazy that I've lived here for more than seven months and I don't regularly hang out with kids my age. I have full confidence that the church will produce more in the near future for me to relate with.

The Saturday night Bible studies have been going very well. Brad will focus a lot of his time during the week to accurately and effectively preach from God's word to draw the picture of authority and standard for the church body's life. Since the home Bible study, we have had maybe ten or more individuals commit to coming every week. There are a few more that have come, but don't seem to really stick. I strongly believe that anyone that comes on Saturdays will have categorically sensed that they have met with God. God shows up and impacts the lives of weekly attendees.

Wednesday night (Men’s Bible study) is a highlight of my week. It is a chance when Brad and I can really get to know the men of this young church. About five of us meet each week at Tim Horton’s at ten-o-clock in the evening and we sometimes don’t even finish until two in the morning. We’ve been discussing a book that we are reading together called When I Don’t Desire God -How To Fight For Joy written by John Piper. The themes are: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him;” a fight to see and savor Christ; his blood bought sacrifice for us; knowing him more through prayer and meditation of his Word. These discussions are so exciting and joy-producing, can you blame us for talking into the wee hours of the morning? We challenge each other in verse memorization, and share how our perspectives have been changed as a result of our meeting together. I am in awe with how God is working in our lives and I’m so thankful He’s allowed for others to join us in this new opportunity and life-changing journey.

We are now less than a month away from having our first worship service: SEPTEMBER 9th, 6:45 PM at our church building 75 North 6th st in Newark Ohio. Yippy! Need a lot of prayer personally for readiness and preparation, and the church needs prayer for A LOT: everything a church needs to function each week, some kind of advertising for the church (radio, newspaper, billboards, who knows?), and all the financial needs (which we have been blessed so amazingly so far) and any of the unknown elements that we might overlook.

Let me know if I left anything out that a good update on xanga needs. Peace out!